Talk:NeocolonialismFall2012/@comment-5829961-20121210201605
I'm going post this in the comments for now because I don't want to mess up all the headings and stuff that was just done, but I dont really think a run down of all the famous people in this section really adresses the prompt. I had been working on this version when all those edits were completed. It could be flushed out with more details, but i think the overall structure makes a little more sense. 'During the neocolonial period, foreign powers' economic influence was felt especially heavily in Latin America. The investments of Great Britain and the United States ushered in a new era of modernization for Latin America. It was an era of great prosperity, as the countries all experienced a boom in exportation of domestic goods such as rubber, bananas, and sugar. The wealthy were made even wealthier as they played the neocolonialist game. Social status was based upon cooperation and adherence to US or European ideals. The ‘decent folk’ of the time even styled their dress on their foreign icons. While the influx of foreign capital and the boom of the domestic export economy greatly aided the upper classes, it did not help the poor. In fact, their lives were getting worse. They were used as disposable day laborers and many were unable to earn a living wage. The large landowners bought up most of the peasant land, leaving them even more dependent upon the societal elites. Even with such income disparity, prosperity was able to reach many areas of society. Education became a must among the wealthy. The literacy rate of urban populations was greatly increasing. In some cases, even the indigenous or mestizo peoples were able to ride the wave of modernity. Authors, such as the novelist Joaquin Maria Machado de Assis or the writer Ruben Dario, gained international renown for their talent despite their skin color. Porfirio Diaz, the president of Mexico, was of mixed descent. Paulina Luisi of Uruguay became an internationally known feminist and supporter of women's rights. While change was slow in coming, I believe the people would look up to such examples of 'one of their own' making it- even if those who were successful often were still from wealthier families. The shift to look within their own community for role models was catalyzed by the United States increasingly unpopular relations with Latin America. The US saw itself as the source, and enforcer, of progress and civilization in its backyard- Latin America. These efforts were largely fueled by the cherished idea of white America’s racial superiority. Under this doctrine, the United States launched a ‘splendid little war’ in which it effectively seized Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the Philippines. They did not stop there. Whenever it was beneficial to US interests, Marines would land in Latin America. Most notable was the five-year war in Nicaragua during the 1920’s. This conflict made the guerrilla leader, Augusto César Sandino, a household name in Latin America. He spearheaded the anti-American sentiment that arose during these years. It is for this reason he is a great example of an ideal Latin American during this time. He fought for Latin America because he loved it, and was not distracted by foreign interests, power, or money. '